Top 5 most useful things to buy/do when expecting a second child

“Arrrrr, haven’t we created perfection with little (insert child’s name here)?! Wouldn’t it be great to have another one?”

It’s weird how nature lulls you into this baby-making state of mind as soon as your little angel gets to about 15 months and life starts to get that bit easier. It’s like a little hormone switch is switched on in your body and all common sense thoughts are switched off 😆

Honestly? Having a second child is blooming hard. But don’t panic! You have the added bonus of already being a total pro at parenting plus there are some amazing products that can make your life a darn site easier and honestly, are worth every penny for that relief.

These are the items that without doubt changed my life so I was a slightly more together, kind of coping, version of myself.

Buggy board *with seat*

Poppy was 25 months when Felix arrived and would get tired very easily when walking any kind of distance, she also couldn’t be trusted not to run under a car or just be a total d**k. We decided against buying a double buggy as they are so ridiculously expensive plus Poppy was getting to the stage where she didn’t want to be in the pushchair much so we decided to stick with our Bugaboo Cameleon which we already loved. I still needed the ability to keep track of Poppy and offer her respite if she got tired so we invested in the Bugaboo wheeled board with removable seat.

It has honestly been one of the best purchases. Having the seat meant that she could really rest but also it was harder for her to just hop off the board so she would actually stay sitting on it really well.

It’s slightly offset so that you can walk to the left or right of it without constantly kicking it and in true Bugaboo form it is so easy to set up and incredibly easy to unclip entirely from the stroller or just take the seat off.

But what if I don’t have a Bugaboo?

Since we bought our board attachment, this amazingMee Go 2 Wheeler Sit Rise X Rideruniversal board has been brought out that will attach to any stroller, has a comfortable seat as well as a safety harness!

Changing bag to fit baby and toddler essentials

I’ve already talked about how much I adore Jem+Bea and my Beatrice bag but really, this bag keeps getting better and better. My requirements were to have a bag that I could store two sizes of nappies, bottles, toddler entertainment and extra clothing as well as being well thought out to make my life easier. In the time that I’ve had it I’ve used it pretty much every day for children but also for meetings (the changing mat compartment is perfect for A4 files!) and had so many compliments. The keyring holder is used on every outing for key storage but also dummy storage! Those little blighters disappear quicker than you know! As the children have got older I’ve swapped out the extra clothing for toys and distractions etc.

When choosing your bag I’d advice going to try them out. See how comfortable they are and how heavy they are without anything in as you need so much stuff for two children of different ages.

An extra pair of hands at bath time

If bathing both children together then anything that gives you an extra pair of hands is a God send. Tiny babies are soooooo slippery and it’s pretty much impossible to hold onto them and wash a toddler at the same time. I found the Angelcare Soft Touch bath support invaluable and Felix was so content in it.

Entertainment

Don’t judge but Poppy watched a hell of a lot of CBeebies when Felix was born. So much so that I realised that they repeat the same programmes in the afternoon 😳 Not only is CBeebies amazing but the Apps are amazing too and totally FREE. ThePlaytime and Storytime ones are particularly good for younger children. You can download extra stories and Playtime games for free at any time. Download all of the CBeebies apps here.

Bulging freezer

I’m talking every element of a meal right down to pre-cooked and frozen portions of mashed potatoes. Sometimes it’s physically impossible to get out to the shops so having a freezer chock-full of pre-cooked frozen meals for parents and children made such a difference to us all surviving. And to be honest, I didn’t have the mental energy/capacity to think up meal ideas and didn’t really care if we ate the same thing for a week as long as I didn’t have to do anything other than look at my barely legible writing and stick it in the microwave. I did individual portions frozen into ramekins for Poppy and just shoved them into the oven when required.

If you can’t face pre-making yourself (zero judgement here) then you can order a freezer full of healthy meals from Cook or just stock up from your usual supermarket. Either way, try to keep them as veg-filled and healthy as possible as keeping you healthy when new baby arrives is number one most important thing.

For children I’d highly recommend Little Dish and Annabel Karmel ranges. I keep some of these in the freezer at all times just in case I run out of ideas/time/inclination.

If you are making meals yourself then I’d recommend freezing them completely flat as you can store so much more in your freezer that way. Also, Mary Berry is the queen of pre-cooking and has tips on storing all manner of meals.

The repetition of cbeebies is so annoying! This is a great list. Zach was a lot older when Oscar was born but we had the same bath and really questioned whether to get a buggy board. We didn’t in the end although when e are in a rush for school or if he’s really tired, he balances on the front of the buggy haha!! Thanks for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday

Hi, I’m Franny. I'm a wife and Mummy of two, living in the beautiful Leicestershire countryside. On Frilly Pretty Things I write honest accounts of my experiences as a Mummy as well as sharing lifestyle, beauty and style that I love x

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